Candidate for judge misrepresents crime trend in S.A.

Linda Molina is running in the Republican primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 9. Photo: campaign Facebook page

A second chair felony prosecutor who’s running for judge of Bexar County Court at Law No. 9 based a statement she made about crime in San Antonio on “news reports,” she said when reached by telephone Monday.

“Crime is on the rise in the (sic) Bexar County,” reads a Feb. 14 statement posted on her campaign’s Facebook page. “As judge, I pledge to STOP first time offenders from becoming repeat offenders by enforcing the law!”

It was similar to a January post, in which she wrote, “Crime is on the rise in Bexar County. If a judge is not being effective, he/she should expect to be challenged.”

But according to Uniform Crime Reports, which the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office are required to report to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, violent crime in both jurisdictions has been steadily dropping since at least 2008.

A recent Express-News story reported that murders investigated by San Antonio police were down by 18 percent in 2013 compared to 2012. Although violent crime increased overall – thanks to robberies and sexual assaults – property crime also decreased from 2012 to 2013.

Molina said she based her statements “on what I see in the news, what I’m watching, and as I see stuff being reported.”

On her website, Molina touts her 11-year tenure in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and marriage to criminal defense attorney Tim Molina, who also worked in the DA’s office.

“It’s on the news,” she continued. “I’m seeing it every day, so it might just be my personal experience, because I am working with it every day, and we’re dealing with it.”